Plant of the Week: Helleborus

Hellebores are a perennial favorite for early blooming.

What's not to love about Helleborus? The first perennial to bloom in the new year, they are very hardy, have evergreen leaves, and that is just the beginning of all that is good about Helleborus. They grow in part sun to full shade, are resistant to pests and diseases, including deer, and make adorable cut flowers for this time of year. 

Beautiful cut flowers for late winter/early spring

Mine are beginning to bloom now. I wait to clean up older leaves as the flowers appear. New leaves will fill in in no time and the flowers will be on upright stems above the foliage. Also called Lenten Rose, a nod to their blooming time, Hellebores have become a very sought after perennial. 

Our growers offer an amazing variety of Hellebores

Newer breeding has led to cup shaped flowers, many with yellow centers, that stand up straight, unlike the nodding flowers of earlier varieties. Frostkiss have been bred for the upright blooms that are borne above the mottled bushy evergreen foliage. The flowers come in different shades, of red, pink, purple, cream, and almost black. 

The Frostkiss is a beautiful, newer variety

When they were planted over a decade ago, we created a river of hellebores through our shady foundation planting in front of the house. Surrounded by other shade tolerant plants like Osmanthus (False Holly), Cephalotaxus (Japanese Plum Yew), and various hostas and ferns, the Hellebores have thrived. Deer have left them alone; even the discovery of a nearby rabbit warren left me worry-free. I do admit to spraying the hostas with a deer repellent. 

Consider planting Hellebores early this year. You'll be sure to enjoy them for many years to come. Click on the Plant Finder tab on the Valley View Farms website to see the many varieties that we may carry this year.